dairy-free – Page 8 – Bit of the Good Stuff

Chocolate Orange Chia Pudding

Published on November 24, 2014May 8, 2025 by Sharon13 Comments

I first shared a recipe for chocolate orange chia pudding back in February 2012 and, to this day, it remains one of my family’s favourite desserts. It’s such a simple pudding to make and, since I originally posted the recipe, I’ve refined the method so that it’s even quicker. Honestly, this recipe could not be more easy! The original photo I took doesn’t do this pudding justice, so I thought it was time for a re-post with the updated recipe and some shiny new photos.

Since that original post, chia seeds have become much more popular here in the UK. You can buy them in health food shops, and even supermarkets have started stocking them. I find they can vary a lot in price, so I always shop around for the best deal. Since I use them frequently in smoothies and puddings, I’ve been buying larger bags lately, which tend to work out much better value.

So why do I love chia seeds so much?

Well, there are two main reasons. The first is their amazing nutritional profile. Chia seeds are very high in dietary fibre, a good source of ‘complete’ protein, and rich in omega 3 essential fatty acids. They’re also hydrophilic and can absorb around 10 times their weight in water, thus helping to keep us nicely hydrated. Their fibre, fat and protein content, along with these hydrophilic abilities, means that the seeds are a great source of slow release energy, they help to balance blood sugar levels, and they keep us feeling full up for hours. Adding a spoonful to smoothies is a great way to keep hunger pangs at bay.

Chia seeds contain a range of trace minerals, and are especially rich in manganese, phosphorus and calcium, which are all important for good bone health. A 28g / 1 oz serving provides 30% of the manganese RDA, 27% of phosphorus, and 18% of the calcium RDA. The seeds also contain a multitude of antioxidants, including the flavonoid quercetin, which has anti-inflammatory and antihistamine properties.

The second reason I love chia so much is that they make the most incredible chocolate puddings! Once blended with some cacao or cocoa powder and a little liquid, they transform into a delicious, silky smooth pudding that will easily rival any shop-bought chocolate dessert. And unlike the shop-bought varieties that tend to be laden with sugar and little nutritional value, these chia puddings are refined sugar free and packed with nutrition.

I used to soak the chia seeds in liquid for an hour or so until they’d transformed into a gel-like substance before blending them up, but these days I literally throw all the ingredients straight in the blender. High speed blenders are best for this job as they’ll blend the seeds smooth in a matter of seconds. Since I’ve had the Froothie power blender, making chia puddings has been a breeze.

Lil’ L absolutely loves these puddings and sees them as a real treat. It’s great to be able to treat him to something that’s so nutritionally packed and full of healthy goodness.

Recipe Card

Chocolate Orange Chia Pudding

The fresh zesty flavour of the orange works in harmony with the bitter dark chocolate to make one delicious dessert! It tastes decadent yet it's super healthy and packed with feel-good nutrients. It's also very filling, so a little goes a long way. I find a ramekin or espresso cup is the perfect serving size.

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Hands-on time 7

Total Time 7

Course Dessert

Servings

Ingredients

80 ml / ⅓ cup orange juice
300 ml / 1¼ cups plant milk (I use fortified soya milk)
64 g / 6 TBSP chia seeds
30 g / 4 TBSP cacao or regular cocoa powder
4 soft pitted dates e.g. Medjool
½ tsp orange extract
1 TBSP maple syrup

Suggested garnish

dark chocolate finely chopped or grated
orange zest

Instructions

Place the orange juice and milk in a high speed, power blender, followed by the remaining ingredients. Give them a stir until they are coated in liquid. Blend on low speed until the dates are broken up, then move to high speed and continue blending until silky smooth. Stop now and then to scrape down the sides. Taste test and add a touch more orange extract or sweetener, if desired.
Pour into small ramekins or cups, sprinkle on the garnish and chill until ready to serve. It will keep for up to five days in the refrigerator.

Keyword Chia Pudding, Dairy-Free, Easy Vegan Desserts, Egg-Free

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Have you tried chia puddings before? If so, what’s your favourite flavour combo? If you’ve posted any recipes or pics, please do share the links below x

With love,SaveSave

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Crunchy Nut Apple Crumble (Vegan / Dairy-free)

Published on October 29, 2014June 5, 2025 by Sharon16 Comments

This healthy twist on the classic Apple Crumble is one of our all-time favourite autumnal desserts. With a spiced apple filling and golden, nutty topping, it’s comfort food at its best!

Apple Crumble is a quintessential British dessert. However, in contrast to the traditional version, which is typically loaded with refined sugar and white flour, I’ve created a more nourishing take using nutrient-rich ingredients. The white flour is replaced with wholegrain flour, oats, and chopped nuts, adding delicious texture, flavour, and heart-healthy goodness. And by using naturally sweet apples instead of tart Bramleys, I’ve been able to significantly reduce the sugar without sacrificing any of the flavour.

This year, our apple tree blessed us with a bumper harvest — over a hundred apples and counting! With so much fresh fruit to use, we’ve been enjoying lots of seasonal treats, and this Crunchy Nut Apple Crumble has been the standout favourite. It’s easy to make, wonderfully comforting, and loved by the whole family. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Why You’ll Love This Crumble

Made with simple, wholesome ingredients
Naturally vegan and dairy-free
Full of warming cinnamon spice
Delicious hot or cold
Freezer-friendly

Those lidded Pyrex glass dishes are brilliant for making and transporting crumbles. I recently packed up a couple to share with family in Essex. Tucked into a thermal bag, they stayed warm for over six hours!

Recipe Card

Crunchy Nut Apple Crumble

This healthy twist on the classic Apple Crumble is one of our all-time favourite autumnal desserts. With a deliciously spiced apple filling and a golden, crunchy topping packed with oats, nuts, and a hint of cinnamon, it’s the kind of treat we come back to again and again as the leaves begin to fall.

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Hands on time 25

Total Time 45

Course Dessert

Servings

Ingredients

For the Apple Filling

1 kg / 7 medium sweet apples (e.g. Gala) peeled, cored and sliced into 0.6cm / ¼-inch thick pieces
60 ml / 4 tbsp water
35 g / 3 tbsp coconut sugar or golden caster (unrefined cane) sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
60 g / ⅓ cup sultanas

For the Crumble Topping

100 g / ¾ cup fine wholemeal (wholewheat pastry) flour or chapatti flour or gluten-free flour blend
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp ground cinnamon
75 g / ¾ cup rolled porridge oats (quick oats, not jumbo)
50 g / 4 tbsp coconut sugar or unrefined cane sugar
70 g / 4½ tbsp vegan butter or dairy-free spread
30 g / ¼ cup pecans chopped
40 g / ¼ cup almonds chopped
½-1 TBSP Demerara (or turbinado) sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan) / 375°F.

Cook the apples:

Place the water, apples, sugar, cinnamon, and sultanas in a large saucepan. Stir, cover with a lid, and simmer over a low heat for around 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are just tender but still hold their shape. Taste and add a little more sweetener, if needed.

Make the crumble topping:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, oats, and sugar. Add the vegan butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the chopped pecans and almonds.

Assemble the crumble:

Spoon the cooked apples into a 1.5-litre / 1½-quart ovenproof dish (approx. 22cm x 17cm x 6cm / 9” x 7” x 2½”). Level the surface and gently press down. Spoon the crumble topping evenly over the apples and sprinkle with Demerara sugar.

Bake:

Place in the preheated oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, until the topping is crisp and golden. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Serving Suggestions:

This crumble is delicious served with dairy-free custard, cream, or yogurt
It can be served warm, or cold straight from the fridge (we actually love it this way as the topping becomes even crunchier!)!

Notes

Storage Tips:
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. It is also freezable.

Keyword Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free Option, Vegan Apple Crumble, Vegan Baking

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

If you make this Crunchy Nut Apple Crumble, I’d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for adaptations! Leave a comment below or tag your photos with #bitofthegoodstuff on social media – I always love to see your creations! You can also connect with me on my social media channels here:
Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest.

With love,

Chocolate Granola Clusters with Hazelnuts, Pecans and Cranberries

Published on October 24, 2014June 3, 2024 by Sharon14 Comments

Today, I’d like to share another of my family’s favourite granola recipes. Filled with hazelnuts, pecans, cranberries and chocolatey goodness, this granola is perfect for this season.

My garden is bordered by cob nut trees, and this year they produced the most amazing crop. I made a deal with the squirrels whereby I would collect nuts from the low hanging branches, and they could have the rest. They then got to work, burying nuts all over my lawn and flower beds, and in my plant pots. Invariably they forget where they’ve buried them and we end up with nut trees growing literally everywhere!

Once they’ve matured, cob nuts are very similar in taste and texture to hazelnuts, so I put them to good use in recipes, like this granola!

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, Lil’ L loves home-made granola, especially when it’s formed into clusters. It’s so easy to make. You simple press down the mixture as if you’re making a thin granola bar then, once completely cooled, you break it into clusters.

As well as oats, I Iove to add buckwheat into the granola which adds some lovely crunch as well as more great nutrients. The name ‘buckwheat’ is pretty misleading as it’s actually a fruit seed and doesn’t contain any wheat at all! It is a good source of protein, dietary fibre, antioxidant phytonutrients, B vitamins and minerals. In the UK, buckwheat is currently available in some of the larger supermarkets (Tesco, Waitrose, Ocado), health food stores and online.

Our favourite sweetener for granola is maple syrup. This adds a delicious caramel-like sweetness, rather than a ‘sugary’ flavour. I use Clarks Original Maple Syrup, which is a blend of maple and carob syrups. It’s widely available in the UK, and a fair bit cheaper than pure maple syrup. I really like its flavour and consistency, which is slightly thicker than the pure grade syrup.

These granola clusters make wonderful breakfasts, snacks and desserts. For breakfast, we like to serve them with plant milk or non-dairy yogurt. For an omega-3 boost, I often add a light sprinkling of ground linseed and finely chopped walnuts before serving. I also sprinkle in a few extra cranberries to brighten up the bowl.

Layered with yogurt and fresh or frozen fruits, the clusters also make a delicious dessert or after-school snack. They look really fancy yet take literally seconds to throw together!

Chocolate Granola Clusters with Hazelnuts, Pecans and Dried Cranberries

These granola clusters make a wonderful breakfast, snack or dessert. For a fancy treat, layer up the granola with yogurt and fruits to make a parfait. Despite taking only seconds to prepare, it looks really beautiful and is bound to impress family and friends!

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Hands on time: 10

Total Time 1

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Servings

Ingredients

300 g / 3 cups rolled oats
100 g / ½ cup raw buckwheat (or you can substitute with more oats)
30 g / 4 TBSP cocoa powder
30 g / 3 TBSP coconut sugar or unrefined caster sugar
¼ tsp salt
75 g / ½ cup hazelnuts roughly chopped
65 g / ½ cup pecans roughly chopped
70 g / ½ cup dried cranberries (preferably sweetened with fruit juice)
150 ml / ½ cup maple syrup*
2 tsp vanilla extract
45 g / 3 TBSP virgin coconut oil melted

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 150C (130C fan) / 300F. Line a large baking tray (38 x 26cm / 15 x 10 inches) with non-stick baking paper. If your coconut oil is solid, place in the oven in a heat-proof bowl for a couple of minutes until it has liquefied. Be careful when removing the bowl as it will be very hot!
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oats, buckwheat, cocoa powder, sugar and salt. Stir in the nuts. You can also stir in the cranberries at this stage or, if you'd like to preserve their vibrant colour, add them to the granola once it's baked.
Pour in the maple syrup and vanilla extract, and stir until all the grains become coated and shiny. Add the coconut oil and stir until thoroughly combined. Spread the granola out evenly on the prepared baking tray. Press down firmly with a silicone spatula so that the mixture sticks together as if you were making a thin granola bar.
Bake for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. (The granola will firm up as it cools). Once completely cooled, break up the granola. The clusters from the centre of the tray may still feel a little soft when fresh baked but I find they firm up and become crunchy over time. Stored in an airtight container in a cool place, the granola will last for weeks.

Notes

*I use Clark’s Original Maple Syrup which is blended with carob fruit syrup. It’s much cheaper than pure maple syrup and I really like its flavour!

Keyword Easy Vegan Desserts, Home-made Granola, Vegan Breakfast, Vegan Snacks

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

If you make this granola, I’d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for adaptations! Tag your photos with #bitofthegoodstuff on social media and they will find their way to me. You can also connect with me on my social media channels here: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest.

With love

Apple and Almond Smoothie

Published on October 15, 2014May 8, 2025 by Sharon11 Comments

After an exceptionally warm and summer-like September and early October, Autumn has finally arrived in Bath. The Virginia creeper seems to have magically transformed overnight from lush green to vivid red, and the river and canal paths are littered with crunchy brown leaves and horse chestnuts. It most certainly is a beautiful time of year ♥

And though the weather has cooled off a little, I’m still enjoying my daily smoothies. I often have them as a breakfast or lunch on the go, so I add ingredients like nut butters and chia seeds for protein, slow-release energy and to keep hunger pangs at bay. Lil’ L also enjoys smoothies as an after-school snack.

One of our current favourites is this Autumn-inspired Apple & Almond Smoothie.

The nut butter, yogurt and chia seeds add a delicious creaminess to the smoothie as well as packing in lots more nutrients. The smoothie provides a good dose of protein, fibre and heart-healthy fats (including omega 3), as well as antioxidant vitamins C and E, and trace minerals such as calcium, iron and magnesium.

And another great thing about this smoothie is that you can sneak in a handful of spinach and it doesn’t affect the taste at all!

Until recently, Lil’ L hasn’t been a fan of green smoothies. He likes his smoothies to be the ‘right’ colour. In his eyes, berry smoothies should be pink or purple, while pineapple or mango smoothies should be yellow. For him, a berry smoothie that’s bright green is just wrong. However, one day it dawned on me that I might get away with adding spinach to our usual apple and almond smoothie. Apples can be green, right?

I decided to give it a try when he arrived home from school one day. Here’s how the conversation went…
“Hi!” I call out. “I’ve made you a smoothie!”
“Great! Thanks!” he replies enthusiastically. I hand him the smoothie and there’s a pause, followed by a despondent “Oh…. it’s green”.
“Yep, it’s a green apple smoothie. Give it a try. I’m sure you’ll love it”.
With trepidation he takes a sip. “Mmm, it’s really nice!” he says with surprise. Then there’s a pause…. “So what’s making it green?”
Darn, 10 year olds are sharp. Clearly the ‘green apple’ thing won’t wash with him, so I decide to own up and tell him it’s spinach. He thinks about it for a moment then decides it doesn’t matter after all. Green or not, it tastes really good.

Hallelujah, the green smoothie hang up is finally over! In hindsight, I wish I’d introduced green smoothies when he was much younger. That way, he would have grown up thinking that green berry or tropical smoothies are normal. Never mind, he’s on board now and I’m really excited to try out lots more concoctions over the coming weeks (especially as I’ve got an awesome new blender to play with).

So if you’ve got any green smoothie phobes in the family, I highly recommend trying this one on them. Start with a small amount of spinach so it’s a delicate light green rather than scary green and see what they think (just don’t mention the spinach until they’ve given it a thumbs up).

Recipe Card

Apple and Almond Smoothie

This smoothie is perfect for breakfast or as a post-school or exercise snack. It's sweet and flavourful, and the spinach is not detectable in the slightest (so a great way to encourage kids to enjoy their greens!) Unlike regular fruit smoothies, this one is a source of slow-release energy and will keep you feeling full up for hours.

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Hands-on time 5

Total Time 5

Course Breakfast, Drinks, Snack

Ingredients

240 ml 1 cup fortified soya milk or other non dairy milk
1 small-medium organic sweet apple (e.g. Gala) cored and chopped (no need to peel if you have a high speed blender)
1 small very ripe frozen peeled banana sliced into coins
1 handful of fresh spinach leaves
1 TBSP almond butter
1 TBSP chia seeds
maple syrup optional

Instructions

Place all the ingredients in a high speed blender. Add a touch more milk or some maple syrup, if desired.

Keyword After School Snack, Breakfast Smoothie, Post Exercise Snack, Vegan Smoothie

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

If you make this smoothie, I’d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for adaptations! Tag your photos with #bitofthegoodstuff on social media – I always love to see your creations! You can also connect with me on my social media channels here: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest.

With love,

Vegan Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies (Dairy-Free | Egg-Free)

Published on October 10, 2014June 5, 2025 by Sharon4 Comments

There’s something about Fridays that calls for chocolate… don’t you think? I had planned to share a wholesome almond breakfast smoothie today, but in the end, these indulgent yet nourishing cookies won the vote — and for good reason!

These Vegan Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies are rich, chewy, and dotted with jewel-like cranberries that glisten against a backdrop of dark chocolate. They feel like a treat, but they’re packed with wholesome ingredients like oats and wholegrain flour, and free from dairy, eggs, and nuts — making them perfect for sharing with friends and family, including little ones with allergies.

I was thinking of a special six-year-old friend of ours as I baked these. Like me, he’s allergic to dairy, but he’s also allergic to nuts. Since I’ve been sharing lots of nutty recipes lately, this one is for him (and for anyone else who’s been missing out).

Double Choc Chip Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

At this time of year, I love using cranberries in my baking. They add a burst of tart-sweet flavour and look like ruby gems tucked inside a cookie. I used to struggle to find cranberries that weren’t loaded with cane sugar, but thankfully, many supermarkets now stock juice-sweetened options. If you can find cranberries sweetened with pineapple juice, I highly recommend them — they’re delicious and a little more naturally balanced.

These cookies are deceptively simple. While they taste rich and chocolatey, the ingredients list is full of nourishing staples: wholegrain flour, rolled oats, cocoa powder, and dried fruit. Fresh from the oven, they have a crisp edge and soft centre — and they continue to firm up beautifully as they cool. They’re perfect for lunchbox treats, after-school snacks, or spontaneous coffee breaks with friends.

We’ve baked these many times and they’ve always been a big hit. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Double Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies (Vegan)

These rich, chewy cookies are packed with oats, cranberries, and chocolatey goodness — and they’re completely dairy-free, egg-free, and nut-free too. Perfect for lunchboxes, coffee breaks, or stashing in the freezer for later!

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Hands on time 20

Total Time 35

Course Afternoon Tea, Elevenses, Treat

Servings

Ingredients

45 ml / 3 TBSP soya milk or almond milk
35 ml / 3 TBSP organic rapeseed (canola) oil or other neutral-flavoured oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
80 g / heaping ⅓ cup golden caster (unrefined cane) sugar
70 g / ½ cup fine wholemeal (whole wheat pastry) or chapatti flour
20 g / 3 TBSP cocoa powder
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
¼ tsp salt
50 g / ½ cup rolled porridge oats (quick oats, not jumbo)
50 g / ⅓ cup dried cranberries preferably juice-sweetened
25 g / 2 TBSP dark chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) / 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with non-stick baking paper.
Place the milk, oil, vanilla extract and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk with a fork until fully combined.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and oats. Add these ingredients to the wet ingredient bowl and stir to combine. Stir in the cranberries and chocolate chips.
Scoop slightly heaped tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. With damp fingers, press the dough into cookie shapes (these cookies don't spread much).
Bake for 12 minutes, or until the cookies are dry to the touch. Leave the cookies on the tray for a few minutes (they will firm up as they cool), then loosen from the baking paper using a thin spatula/slotted turner and transfer to a wire cooling rack.
Once completely cooled, store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, or freeze in an airtight zip-loc bag for longer storage.

Keyword Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Lunchbox Treat, Vegan Cookie, Vegan Treats

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

If you make these Double Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies, I’d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for adaptations! Leave a comment below or tag your photos with #bitofthegoodstuff on social media – I always love to see your creations! You can also connect with me on my social media channels here: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

With love,

Our Summer Adventure in the French Alps

Published on September 13, 2014June 5, 2025 by Sharon10 Comments

During the school summer break, we strapped three bikes to the roof of our car and headed across on the Eurotunnel to France. Our destination – the beautiful French Alps.

La Clusaz, a short drive away from our hire chalet, soon became our favourite place to hang out. It’s a great family-friendly place, with so many activities going on that I felt like I’d landed in a scene from Where’s Wally!

The village was filled with activities for all ages – inflatables for the small kids, summer luge, zip wires and a big air bag for the older kids, as well as an ice rink and swimming pool.

Lil’ L loved the big air bag! The slope is actually designed for ski jump practice but, in the summer, you can slide down it in an inflatable tyre. It was really popular with kids and adults alike. Literally everyone I watched jump had a big smile on their face :o)

From La Clusaz, you can take cable cars up into the mountains for hikes, cross country biking and downhilling.

Our hiking adventures took us through alpine meadows…

through forests and streams…

and up and down rugged hills…

where we came across these beautiful creatures ♥

The weather wasn’t the best, but we made sure to make the most of the sun when it came out.

We did get caught out one day whilst hiking on the top of a mountain. The sky suddenly went dark, and then the most almighty storm set in. We ran as fast as we could down the mountain, slipping and sliding in the torrential rain, with deafening claps of thunder and forked lightening overhead. It was exhilarating (and just a little bit scary too!)

For the first time ever, it was me that was left trailing behind on the bike rides!

It’s incredible how much Lil’ L has improved at hill climbing in the past year. Last year, I was the one waiting at the top of hills as M patiently coached him up the hill. Now, he flies up the hills and stands waiting for me!

I’m seriously going to have to up my game as I don’t want to be ‘slow mum’. That’s just not cool!

As well as hiking and biking, I loved running in the stunning countryside surrounding our chalet. After climbing up and down hills for three weeks, my body’s definitely stronger and more toned. I’d love to keep it that way!

Other activities that Lil’ L loved this holiday included swimming, reading, playing chess and Diablo. He’d been patiently waiting for a new Diablo for weeks so, when we finally gave it to him at the Eurotunnel terminal, he couldn’t wait to get started. He even managed to spin it in the car!

We were really pleased with our hire chalet, which was spacious, modern and came with a fully-equipped kitchen. When in France (with the exception of Paris), we always prepare our own meals. Not only does it save us a small fortune, but it can be difficult to find vegan-friendly eateries, especially in this area of the Alps (aka ‘Cheeseland’!).

In fact, I didn’t see a single vegan option on the menus I looked at. No matter though, as I was more than happy to cook, especially as M was around to help out. Back home, I’m usually in the kitchen on my own, so it was lovely to have some company!

Since we were travelling by car, I took a few supplies from home that would either be hard to come by (like nooch and nettle tea) or a lot more expensive in France (like big packs of almonds and cashews). I also took some herbs and spices to save having to buy more.

Fortunately, non dairy milks and yogurts are readily available in the French supermarkets. The Bjorg brand has lots of vegan-friendly products, including delicious mushroom and aubergine pates. We found them on the ‘Bio’ (organic) aisle, along with the milks and tofu. Bjorg tofu is different to the tofu you find in the UK, as it’s UHT and doesn’t need pressing. It’s chewier than our regular tofu, but I find it works well when diced into small cubes and cooked in sauces.

The one thing that always catches me out in France though is the hummus – for some unknown reason, most of the brands contain cheese!

All the meals we made were simple and quick to prepare. For lunch, we loved big colourful salad plates, beans on toast (we found Heinz baked beans on the world food aisle!), or baguettes filled with stir-fried veg. For our main meals, we enjoyed pasta, curries, fajitas, French bread pizzas, stir-fries and couscous dishes.

The three weeks flew by and, before we knew it, it was time to head home. We’re now back into the routine of work, school and evening clubs and activities, so week days are pretty full on. I’m looking forward to lots of weekend biking adventures though, crunching our way through piles of Autumn leaves. I just need to sneakily get some extra hill practice so I can keep up with those boys 😉

I hope you had a wonderful summer too! ♥

With love,

Chocolate Orange Chia Pudding

Ingredients 1x2x3x

Suggested garnish

Instructions

Crunchy Nut Apple Crumble

Ingredients 1x2x3x

For the Apple Filling

For the Crumble Topping

Instructions

Cook the apples:

Make the crumble topping:

Assemble the crumble:

Bake:

Serving Suggestions:

Notes

Chocolate Granola Clusters with Hazelnuts, Pecans and Dried Cranberries

Ingredients 1x2x3x

Instructions

Notes

Apple and Almond Smoothie

Ingredients

Instructions

Double Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies (Vegan)

Ingredients 1x2x3x

Instructions

Ingredients

Ingredients

Ingredients

Ingredients